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Banks and Negative Interest Rates

Author

Listed:
  • Florian Heider

    (Financial Research Division, European Central Bank, D-60311 Frankfurt, Germany)

  • Farzad Saidi

    (Centre for Economic Policy Research, London EC1V 0DX, United Kingdom)

  • Glenn Schepens

    (Financial Research Division, European Central Bank, D-60311 Frankfurt, Germany)

Abstract

In this article, we review the nascent literature on the transmission of negative policy rates. We discuss the theory of how the transmission depends on bank balance sheets, and how this changes once policy rates become negative. We review the growing evidence that negative policy rates are special because the pass-through to banks' retail deposit rates is hindered by a zero lower bound. We summarize existing research on the impact of negative rates on banks' lending and securities portfolios as well as their consequences for the real economy. Finally, we discuss the role of different initial conditions when the policy rate becomes negative, and potential interactions between negative policy rates and other unconventional monetary policies.

Suggested Citation

  • Florian Heider & Farzad Saidi & Glenn Schepens, 2021. "Banks and Negative Interest Rates," Annual Review of Financial Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 13(1), pages 201-218, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:anr:refeco:v:13:y:2021:p:201-218
    DOI: 10.1146/annurev-financial-111320-102646
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    2. Mattia Girotti & Guillaume Horny & Jean-Guillaume Sahuc, 2022. "Lost in Negative Territory? Search for Yield!," EconomiX Working Papers 2022-10, University of Paris Nanterre, EconomiX.
    3. Grandi, Pietro & Guille, Marianne, 2023. "Banks, deposit rigidity and negative rates," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 133(C).
    4. Abildgren, Kim & Kuchler, Andreas, 2023. "Firm behaviour under negative deposit rates," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 151(C).
    5. Ulbing, Philipp, 2024. "The Zero Lower Bound on Household Deposit Rates: Not As Binding As We Thought," VfS Annual Conference 2024 (Berlin): Upcoming Labor Market Challenges 302353, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    6. Marcel Barmeier, 2022. "The new normal: bank lending and negative interest rates in Austria (Marcel Barmeier)," Working Papers 242, Oesterreichische Nationalbank (Austrian Central Bank).
    7. Benjamin Musiita & Frederick Nsambu Kijjambu, 2024. "Intersecting Dynamics: The Influence of Macroeconomic Factors and Financial Development on Interest Rate Spreads in Uganda," Journal of Economics and Behavioral Studies, AMH International, vol. 16(2), pages 1-14.
    8. Jorien Freriks & Jan Kakes, 2021. "Bank interest rate margins in a negative interest rate environment," Working Papers 721, DNB.
    9. Fungáécová, Zuzana & Kerola, Eeva & Laine, Olli-Matti, 2023. "Monetary policy transmission below zero," Bank of Finland Research Discussion Papers 11/2023, Bank of Finland.
    10. Burietz, Aurore & Picault, Matthieu, 2023. "To lend or not to lend? The ECB as the ‘intermediary of last resort’," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 122(C).
    11. Jos'e Pedro Gaiv~ao & Benito Pires, 2022. "Chaotic time series in financial processes consisting of savings with piecewise constant monthly contributions," Papers 2206.11933, arXiv.org, revised Feb 2023.
    12. Claudia Kwapil & Kilian Rieder, 2021. "The effects of the monetary policy response to the COVID-19 pandemic: preliminary evidence from a pilot study using Austrian bank-level data," Monetary Policy & the Economy, Oesterreichische Nationalbank (Austrian Central Bank), issue Q4/20-Q1/, pages 131-152.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    deposits; negative interest rates; zero lower bound; bank lending; bank risk-taking; euro-area heterogeneity;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E44 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Money and Interest Rates - - - Financial Markets and the Macroeconomy
    • E52 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - Monetary Policy
    • E58 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - Central Banks and Their Policies
    • G20 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - General
    • G21 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Banks; Other Depository Institutions; Micro Finance Institutions; Mortgages

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